Valve



2 Sheets-Sheet l M. o. TROY, JR

VALVE Filed Apri1`l'7, 1941 Nov. 17, 1942.

Inventor-z Matthew O. FFrog Jr, j M His A tor-neg.

Nov. 17, 1942. M, Q TROY, JR y 2,302,404

VALVE Filed April 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Il /IZ Inventor: Matthew O. Trog Jr,

His Attorney.

Patented Nov. 17, 1942 lUNITED STATE VALVE Matthew O. Troy, Jr., Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a. corporation of New York Application April 17, 1941, Serial No. 389,035

8 Claims.

During normal use, such enced with such valves because of sticking andfailing to operate which may be caused by deposits forming on parts of the valve, such as the valve disk, the valve seat, or the valve stem.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in a valve whereby the above referred to difficulties are overcome and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and the claims appended thereto.

My invention is especially applicable to stop valves or emergency valves such as are used on elastic fluid turbines to shut off the supply of fluid to the turbine in case of an abnormal operating condition of the turbine and I have elected to illustrate and describe my invention as applied to a valve of this type. It is to be understood, however, that this is only by way of example and that my invention may be applied to various types of valves and to valves for various purposes.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a valve embodying my invention, the view being in part diagrammatic, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I indicates a valve body or casing having an admission opening 2 and a discharge opening 3 connected by a passage 4 defined by an annular wall 5. Supported in annular wall 5 is a sleeve 6 having a valve seat 1. Sleeve 6 is connected to and supported upon the upper end of a valve stem 8 through the intermediary of a frame comprising spaced ribs 9. The valve stem 8 extends through a stuffing box 9' in the valve body and at this lower end is connected to a piston I0. The piston I is located in a cylinder I I attached to the'valve body by a ring I2. The valve stem 8 passes through the upper cylinder head through a suitable stufng box I3. Located between piston I0 and the lower cylinder head I4 of cylinder Il is a compression spring I which tends to bias piston I0 toward the upper end of cylinder II. Connected to the lower side of piston I0 is a valve stem extension I6 which extends out through cylinder head I4 and projects into a pilot valve casing I1 fixed on a suitable stationary support (not shown). Fixed on valve stem extension I8 are spaced valve rings I8 and I9 which control respectively ports 2D and 2l in a, sliding sleeve 22 located in pilot valve casing I1 surrounding the extension I6. Valve stem extension I6 is hollow and is closed'at its lower end by a plate 23. The interior of valve stem extension I6 is connected to the space between valve members I8 and I9 by ports 24. The space within the valve stem extension is connected to the interior of cylinder Il above piston I0 by a passage 25.v An annular wall 28 divides vthe space between the pilot valve casing I1 and sleeve 22 into two chambers, an upper chamber 21 and a lower chamber 28. Upper chamber 21 is connected by a pipe 29 to a suitable supply of fluid pressure, such as oil for example. Lower chamber 28 is connected by a pipe 30 to a suitable discharge tank which may be the supply tank from which pipe 29 is supplied by a suitable pump with iiuid under pressure.

In valve casing I for cooperation with valve seat 1 is a valve disk 3| carried on the lower. end of a valve stem 32. Valve stem 32 projects out through a suitable stung box 33 in the valve body and at its upper end is connected to aV piston 34 located in a cylinder 35. Cylinder 35 is supported on the valve casing by a ring 36 and its lower head is provided with a suitable stuffing box 31 through which valve stem 32 passes. The upper end of cylinder 35 is closed by a head 38 between which and piston 34 is arranged a compression spring 39 which tends to bias piston 34 toward the lower end of cylinder 35. Connected to the upper side of piston 34 is a valve stem extension 40 which extends out through head 38 and is rigidly connected at its upper end to one end of an arm 4I. The other end of arm 4I is fixed to a connecting rod 42. The lower end of rod 42 is connected to the upper end of a rod 43 through the intermediary of a spring connection 44. The spring connection 44 comprises a sleeve 45 carried on the upper end of rod 43 and provided with a head 46 through which the lower end of rod 42 projects into sleeve 45. On the lower end of rod 42 are two spaced abutments 41 and 48, abutment 41 being located above sleeve 45 and abutment 48 being located in the sleeve. Arranged between abutments 41 and 48 and the head or cover plate 46 are springs 49 and 50 which serve to center the connection between rods 42 and 43, as shown in the drawings. Rod 43 is rigidly connected to pilot valve sleeve 22 by an arm 5I which at one end is fixed to the lower end of rod 43 and at the other end to sleeve 22.

Fixed on rod 42 is a sleeve of insulating material 52. On one side oisleeve 52 are two spaced strip contacts 53 and 54 connected by a conductor 55, the upper contact being longer than the lower contact. On sleeve 52 diametrically opposite contact strips 53 and 54 are two similar contact strips 58 and 51 connected by a conductor 58. Fixed to sleeve 45 is an insulating cylinder 58 on opposite sides of which are contact strips 80 and 8|. The contact strip 80 is connected by a, conductor 62 to a pin 83 which normally engages contact strip 54 and contact strip 8| is connected by a conductor 84 to a pin 85 which normally engages contact strip 51.

Cylinders and 35 are connected in parallel by pipes 88 and 81 to a fluid pressure pipe 88 which is the pressure pipe from the turbine emergency governor. 'I'he arrangement of a turbine emergency governor in connection with a pressure pipe line is well understood and is not illustrated. It is such that normally iluid pressure is supplied through pipe 88 but .when the emergency governor operates, it disconnects pipe 88 from the iluid pressure supply and connects it to a drain, thus quickly releasing the pressure in pipe 88. A known arrangement is shown, for example, in the patent to Caughey 1,931,104 issued October 17, 1933, to the assignee oi' my present application. In pipe 88 is a iluid ilow regulating valve 88". In pipe 88 is a shut-oil valve 88 and v in pipe 81 is a shut-on valve 13. Valves 88. and 18 are arranged-to be alternately opened and closed by a suitable timing means. In the present instance and by way oi example, the stems of valves 88 and 18 are connected to opposite ends of a walking beam 1| pivoted at 12 and provided with an over-center spring 13 and the walking beam is arranged to be tilted by a pair of cams 14 which are rotated in unison by a suitable timing mechanism (not shown). Cams 14 rotate continuously and the arrangement is such that valve 88 is closed and valve 18 open for a predetermined period of time after which the positions of the valves are reversed. valve 88 being opened and valve 18 closed. When valve 88 is closed and valve 18 is open, iluid pressure is supplied through pipe 81 to the under side of piston 34. When the positions of valves 88 and 15 are reversed, uid pressure is supplied through pipe 88 to the upper side oi piston |3.

Connected to cylinder II above piston I8 is a.

discharge pipe 15 provided with a regulating valve 18 and connected to cylinder 35 beneath piston 34 is a discharge pipe 11 provided with a regulating valve 18. Valves 18 and 18 are set to permit of the slow discharge of uid from the respective cylinders, pipes 15 and 11 being connected with a suitable fluid tank.

In pipes 88 and 81 beyond valves 88 and 18 as regards the direction of ow are dump valves 18 and 33 whichare normally closed and which when opened permit the fluid pressure on pistons Ill and 34 to be quickly relieved. Valves 18 and 83 are biased toward open position and are normally held cl by electromagnets 8| and 32, the plungers ofwhich are connected to the respective valve ste through pivoted arms 83 and 84. The windings of electromagnets 8| and 82 are connected in series with each other and with the contacts on sleeve 52 and cylinder 58 by a circuit which may be traced as follows: from the plus side of the line through conductor 35 to a stationary contact pin 88 on which contact strip 88 slides, contact strip, conductor 82, contact pin 83, contact strip54, conductor 55, contact strip 53, stationary contact pin 31 on which strip 53 slides, conductor 88, windings of electromagnets 8| and 82 to a movable contact 83', a nxed contact 88, conductor 88 to a stationary contact pin 9| similar to pin 81 and on which contact strip 58 slides, contact strip 58, conductor 58, contact strip 51, contact pin 85, conductor 84, contact strip 8|, stationary contact pin 82 on which contact strip 8| slides and conductor 83 to the negative side of the line. Movable contact' 38 is carried by a pivoted arm 84 to which is connected the stem of a piston 85 located in a cylinder 38,

- the interior of which is connected to pipe line 88 in advance of regulating valve 88 as regards the direction of flow of iluid pressure. Piston 85 is biased by a spring 81 to a position in cylinder 88 such that contact 88 is out of engagement with ilxed contact 88." Normally, the iluid pressure in pipe 88 holds 'piston 85 in a pomtion as shown in the drawing wherein contact 88 is in engagement with contact 88.

The operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is as follows:

Assume that iiuid pressure is being supplied through pipe 88 (the emergency governor of the turbine being in normal operating position): that valve 88* is set to supply iluid pressure at the desired rate to pipes 88 and 81; that valves 18 and 18 are set to permit the escape of tiuid pressure from cylinders and 35 at the desired rate, and that the other parts are in the position shown, the circuit through electromagnets 8| and 82 being closed so that valves 18 and 88 are held shut. Pistons I8 and 34 have just reached their lowermost positions in their respective cylinders and the positions of valves 88 and 18 have Just been reversed, valve 88 having been closed and valve 18 opened. Now iluid pressure hows a 15. Valves 18 and 18 are so set that valve disk being supplied to cylinder '3|andvalveseat1willbemaintainedinthe same relative positions, valve disk 3| being lifted at the same rate as valve seat 1. Thus the valve opening between the valve disk 3|-and the valve seat 1 is maintained constant for ilow of iiuid through the valve. When the parts reach the upper limit of movement, timing cams 1I operate to reverse the podtions ot valves 88 and 13, the now of nuid pressure through pipe 81 to cylinder 35 being shut oil! and the now of nuid pressure The valve disk 3| and valve seat 1 then move in the opposite direction back to the positions shown in the drawing. Thus, as timing disks 14 rotate. the valve disk and valve seat are maintained continuously in motion. The arrangement is preferably such that the movement is slow, it being such for example that a period of time of the order of several minutes is required to move the pistons |3 and 34 from one end of their strokes to the other.

f Also, the arrangement is such that the movement other throughout their active length so that no deposits of foreign matter can accumulate on themI to cause the valve to stick.

The pilot valve structure serves to maintain valve seat 1 spaced the desired distance from valve disk 3| so as to maintain the same valve opening. If the valve seat moves .toward the valve disk, ports 20 in the pilot valve are uncovered, thus admitting fluid pressure from pipe 29 through ports 20 and 24 to cylinder above piston I0, thereby moving valve seat 1 away from valve disk 2| until the positions of the parts of the pilot valve are restored. If valve seat 1 moves away from valve disk 3|, then ports 2| are uncovered, permitting the iiuid to discharge from cylinder above piston I out through discharge pipe 30 whereupon spring I5 will effect a movement of the valve seat toward the valve disk until ports 2| are again covered.

During normal operation, the piston rod extension I6 which forms one moving part of the pilot valve and the sleeve 22 which forms the other moving part move together. Chambers 21 and 28 are made of a length so that ports 20 are always in communication with chamber 21 and ports 2| with chamber 28.

- If one of the valve parts should stick so that there is a substantial movement of the valve disk 3| and valve seat 1 relatively to eachother, either toward or away from each other, sleeve 52 and cylinder 59 will be moved relatively to each other whereby Contact pins 63 and 65 will be moved from engagement with contact strips 54 and 51. thus opening the circuit through electromagnets 8| and 82. When this happens, valves 19 and 80 open quickly dumping the fluid pressure from cylinders and 35, permitting springs I and 39 to quickly move the valve disk 3| and valve seat 1 into engagement with each other, thus closing the valve.

Also. in case the fluid pressure supplied through pipe 60 fails, for instance by the operation of the emergency governor of the turbine, the fluid pressure in cylinder 96 is relieved, thus permitting spring 91 to move piston 95 to separate contact 88' and contact 89. This likewise opens the circuit on electromagnets 8| and 82 and effects closing of the valve.

Referring to the modication of my invention shown in Fig. 2, |00 indicates a valve casing having an inlet opening IDI and a discharge opening |02 between which is located a passage' |03 provided with a valve seat |04. In the valve casing is a valve disk '|05 carried on the upper end of a valve stem |06, the valve disk being adapted to engage seat |04 to close the valve. Valve Istern |06 extends through a suitable'packing |01 and at its lower end is provided with a piston |08 which moves in a cylinder I 09. Located between the upper head f the cylinder and the piston is a spring |I0 which acts normally in a direction to move valve disk |05 to closed position.

' Surrounding valve stem |06, where itpasses through casing |00, is a sliding bushing ||0a on the lower end of which is a piston ||I located in a cylinder ||2. Between the upper head of cylinder |I2 and piston III is a spring H3 which acts normally in a direction to move piston ||I toward the lower end of cylinder ||2.

Connected to cylinder |09' beneath piston |08 is a fluid pressure pipe I|4 corresponding to fluid pressure pipe 68 in Fig. l. This may be the pressure pipe line from the emergency governor of a turbine, as already explained. With this of the turbine is in normal operating condition, fluid pressure is supplied through pipe IIIIv to the under side of piston |08, holding it in the position shown in the drawing to maintain the valve open. In case the fluid pressure supply in pipe ||4 fails, a thing which may be caused by operation of the emergency governor, the fluid pressure under piston |08 is permitted to escape through pipe II4, permitting the valve to close. Fluid pressure pipe ||4 isconnected by a branch pipe ||5 to cylinder II2 beneath piston In pipe I|5 is a regulating valve ||6 and a shut-oil' valve ||1. This forms a fluid pressure supply pipe to cylinder II2. Connected with a pipe I|5 is a discharge'pipe IIB provided with a regulating valve II 9 and shut-oli valve |20. Valves I|1 and |20v are connected to a walking beam |2| corresponding to the walkingbeam 1I of Fig. l. Walking beam |2| is provided with a timing mechanism connected thereto (not shown) which may be the same as the timing mechanism shown diagrammatically in Fig. l for periodically reversing the positions of valves ||1 and |20. Connected to pipe ||5 is a discharge pipe |22 provided with a valve |23 having its stem connected to a piston |24 located in the cylinder |25, the cylinder being connected by a pipe |26 to pipe I|5in advance oi valve ||6 as regards the iiow of fluid pressure. Valve |23 is biased toward open position by a spring |21 located between piston |24 and the head of cylinder |25. Normally, the iiuid pressure in pipe ||5 maintains valve |23 closed. If the iiuid pressure fails, valve |23 is opened to dump the fluid pressure from beneathvpiston III. Connected to pipe I|5 is a pressure pipe |28 connected with a cylinder |29 in which is located a piston |30 provided with a stem connected to a circuit closer |3|. Located between piston |30 and the head of the cylinder is a spring |32 which biases piston |30 toward the bottom of cylinder |29 and the circuit closer I 3| to closed position.` Connected to circuit closer |3| is an electrical circuit |33 connected to a suitable alarm. trip device or the like. In the present instance. it is shown as being connected to an electric bell |34. In case the pressure in pipe |I5 fails. 'circuit closer |3| operates to close electric circuit |33 and operate whatever device or devices are connected with the circuit.

The operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is as follows:v

Normally, fluid pressure is supplied through pipe I|4 to hold the valve open and at the same time supply fluid pressure to pipe I 5. The parts are shown in the drawing in the positions they occupy just es valves I I1 and |20 are about to be reversed. the piston I being at the upper end of its movement. Now, when the positions of valves I1 and |20 are reversed, the supply of iiuid pressure to cylinder I I2 is cut off by valve II1 and permitted to escape from the cylinder through valve |20. Valves I I6 and II9 are set to effect the supply and discharge of fluid pressure at the desired rates. Spring II3 now forces piston ||I down, the iiuid pressure being discharged through valve |20. As a result, the sliding bushing III)Il moves down relatively lto stem I 06. When it reaches the lower end of its movement, the positions of valves ||1 and I 20 are reversed after the manner explained in connection with Fig. 1

whereupon uid pressure is supplied under piston I I to gradually lift the piston and move bushing I0a upward relatively to stem |06. With this arrangement, as long as the emergency governor arrangement, the bushing lili* is moved slowly back and i'orth relatively to stem |00. 'I'he arrangement is such that bushing H* moves a distance substantially equal to that through which y stem |06 moves to effect closing of the valve. Thus, the relatively moving rubbing parts of the valve are continuously moved back and forth over each other to prevent accumulation of foreign deposits on such parts. 'I'he arrangement is such that as long as valve |23 is closed, the pressurein pipe is sumcient to maintain the circuit closer |3| open. As already explained, however, in case pressure in pipe III fails, then valve |23 is permitted to open to quickly dump the iluid pressure from under piston and at the same time permit circuit closer |3| to close to sound an alarm or operate other device or devices connected in circuit |33. Also, should bushing I I0* stick in its upward position then when valve |20 opens the fluid pressurel will leak out from cylinder ||2 relieving the pressure therein and in pipe |28 thus permitting the circuit closer |3| to operate to give an alarm to warn the station attendant of trouble.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a valve operating mechanism, parts which slide one on the other when the valve elements move relatively to each other from open valve to closed valve position, and means operable while the valve elements are in open position for continuously moving one oi.' said parts relatively to the other a distance equal substantially to that which said valve elements move relatively to each other when these elementsy move to closed valve position.

2. In a valve operating mechanism, parts which slide one on the other when the valve elements move from open valve to closed valve position, a.

piston connected to one of said parts, a cylinder for the piston, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder to eilect while the valve element is in open position continuous reciprocating movement of said one part through a distance equal substantially to that which said elements move relatively to each other when the valve elements move to close valve position.

3. In a valve, parts which slide relatively to each other when the valve moves from open to closed position, a piston connected to one of said parts, a cylinder for the piston, means for supplying iluid pressure to said cylinder to effect while the valve is open continuous reciprocating movement of said one part through a distance equal substantially to that which said parts move relatively to each other when the valve moves to closed position, and means to eifect quick release oi' the nuid pressure in said cylinder in case the fluid pressure supply fails.

4. In a valve, a valve disk, a valve seat, means for moving continuously while the valve is open said disk and seat in unison a distance equal substantially to that which the disk and seat must move relatively to each other to effect closing of the valve.

5. In a valve, a valve disk, a valve seat, means for moving continuously while the valve is open said disk and seat in unison a distance equal substantially to that which the disk and seat must move relatively to each other to effect closing of the valve, and means for maintaining the disk and seat normally separated by a predetermined amount.

6. In a valve, a jvalve disk, a valve seat, means for moving continuously while the valve is open said disk and seat in unison a distance equal substantially to that which the disk and seat must move relatively to each other to eifect closing of the valve, means for maintaining the disk and seat normally separated by a predetermined amount, and means for effecting closing of the valve in case the disk and seat depart by more than a predetermined amount from their normally separated positions.

7. In a valve, a casing, valve stems projecting into the casing from opposite sides thereof, a disk on one of said stems, a seat on the other of said stems, means connected to said stems to eifect disk on one of said stems, a seat on the other of vsaid stems, pistons and cylinders connected to said stems, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders to eiect continuous uniform recip rocation of said disk and seat in the same direction, means to maintain the disk and seat separated by a predetermined amount during such movement, and means to effect movement of the disk and seat into engagement with each other in case supply of iluid pressure fails.

MATTHEW o. TROY, Jn. 

